Mazda Autozam AZ-1 stops by ‘Jay Leno’s Garage’

Something completely different dropped by for the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage. It was a 1992 Mazda Autozam AZ-1. Never heard of it? Most Americans haven’t.

The AZ-1 was one of many Japanese cars built for the kei car space. For an incredibly quick debrief on kei cars, the pint-sized vehicles are built to a particular specification: 11 feet long, 5 feet wide and 6.5 feet tall. Engine sizes do not exceed 660cc and horsepower ratings sit at 63 hp. The cars were, and still are, popular because of their low tax and insurance costs.

Ashley DeLuca, a mechanical engineer, owns this particular Autozam AZ-1. In the video, she gave Leno the full rundown on the car before the duo took the turbocharged 3-cylinder coupe for a spin. As one can imagine, it’s not particularly fast, but with a weight under 1,600 pounds, it does feel quick, per Leno.